Travel

A family trip to Florida was necessitated at the death of my father-in-law. The six of us arrived at Midway airport in Chicago--Me, Mr. Jorie, Daughter #One, and her child Elli, Daughter # Three, and Auntie, my husband's aunt.

The trip was unexpected but we had traveled many times before and had flown in and out of Orlando on numerous occasions. We would only be away for four nights. It was decided that we would not bother to check our luggage.

It seemed logical not to spend the extra $15.00 per bag to check our luggage. It seemed logical not to have to wait to collect our luggage once we arrived. Somewhere in the foggy recesses of our sixty-one-year-old brains, Mr. Jorie and I thought the luggage decision was a good and practical one, and would expedite our travel time and save a few cents as well.

Taking a closer look at the travelers, one might question the ease of travel this decision would make.

Traveler # One: Mr. Jorie --A tall, large, affable man with both knees replaced and a high risk of falling due to balance issues. He has a tendency to think that he can do anything, but does indeed carry his weight when it comes to moving luggage from point A to point B. He also thinks that it is "cute" to engage each and every security officer in both airports as to how they like the color of their new shirts.

Traveler # Two: Me--Having endured five hip surgeries, my replaced hip is, needless to say, very weak and my gait is often unsteady. Having endured nearly a dozen wrist and hand surgeries, my upper body strength is certainly challenged. My wrist, with the total joint replacement, is painful even when minimally taxed. I am a happy traveler but quite limited in my usefulness.

Traveler # Three: Auntie--Dear and sweet, Auntie in her early eighties traveled through the airport in a borrowed wheelchair. She too has an artificial joint--her hip. She was truly a joy to travel with, however she could only carry what would fit on her lap. (I must admit at times though, we could hardly find her once we stacked so many things on top of her.)

Traveler # Four: Four-year-old Elli--As lively as could be, Elli pulled her little suitcase and darted here and there as we maneuvered our way down the concourse. Of course she was far too small to carry her carseat (a toddler model which separated, whether you wanted it to or not, into two bulky pieces.)



That left Travelers # Five and # Six--Two able-bodied young women, put into service by default, completed our party. Patience, strength and perseverance (mixed with a little wit and sarcasm) had to be their travel mottos.




We began our trip by driving to the airport and parking in the remote parking lot to save a few bucks. Loading all of our travel luggage and personal items into the shuttle bus, our trip began.



We managed to acquire our boarding passes with just a little help from the airline personnel. Proceeding to security, we braced ourselves. With a toddler and three joint replacement (ie. "Metal in Body") travelers, my two daughters prepared to collect ALL of the bags as they rolled through the screening area.



Just a side note: Every traveler wants to get through security as fast as possible. Many people believe that those in wheelchairs should have no advantage over themselves. Many travelers believe that the family of those wheelchair travelers should have to wait in the "regular lines" (and are willing to say so) even though their family members truly need their help. Travel does not always bring out the best in folks.



As everyone knows, each air traveler is allowed two carry-on items. Well, with the purses, the carseat, the lunches and jackets....and oh, did I tell you that Mr. Jorie and Auntie each carried their C-PAP breathing machines along with them as well....we seemed to have an endless number of carry-on items in addition to the legal twelve allowed the six of us.



As everyone also knows, one must remove jackets, shoes, belts, keys, cell phones, etc. from one's person, and place such items into bins to be inspected. Laptops must also have their own bins. I believe we had two of those as well. Not only then were there bins of carry-ons, but also numerous bins with the above mentioned items as well.



As every air traveler also knows each person is allowed three 3 oz. bottles/tubes of liquids in a one quart ziplock bag. We got a little mixed up on this one and ended up being forced by a security agent to discard two expensive tubes of hair product, which were well over the 3 oz. size. (So much for trying to save a few bucks by carrying on all of our possessions.)



Mr. Jorie and I are used to the scrutiny required as we, along with Auntie, were individually searched in the "special search area." I tried to keep an eye on Elli as my two daughters gathered bin after bin after bin of our carry-on possessions. Making it through security with all of our belongings seemed like the hardest part of the trip, although we continued to face challenges. We finally proceeded to the gate.



Upon boarding I was challenged to incorporate two of my bags into one. "Don't you know that you are only allowed two carry-ons?" quipped the attendant. I tried to oblige...and also convince my hands that I could accomplish the task...while standing in line....while all those behind me waited. Daughter # One loudly reminded the attendant that the four-year-old was only carrying one bag, so one of mine could count for hers.



Managing to make it on to the plane (while Mr. Jorie chatted with three more security agents standing at the entrance to the aircraft--about the color of their shirts), our next task was to find overhead spots for all of our belongings. Other travelers watched our efforts and I actually believe that our entourage created a comic diversion for many.



Upon arriving in Orlando, we all trekked through the airport, onto the shuttle train, up and down elevators and finally to the parking garage to pick up our rental mini-van. A sigh of relief was breathed by all once the van was loaded up and we each could finally sit down and relax for our hour drive to the home of my in-laws.


The time spent in Florida was meaningful and even relaxing.


Four days later Mr. Jorie and I, along with our 61-year-old brains--still apparently foggy, decided that since we did not check our bags on the trip down to Florida, there was absolutely no reason to check our bags on the way home. Gluttons for punishment we willingly repeated the entire process in reverse, and traveled home to the Windy City with all of our bags in tow.



I have personally vowed that in the future I will always check as many bags as possible during any future trips, although I don't believe that Mr. Jorie totally agrees.



Thanks goes out to my two able-bodied girls who made the trip possible. I suppose when all is said and done, all of the smiles and laughs along the way made what could have been a difficult trip just a little easier to endure.



It is so good to travel though life together with the ones we love---and oh how wonderful it is for them to be able to help carry the load when help is needed.